Ranking the Top 100 And 1 best college basketball players entering the 2022-23 season – CBS Sports

Play Now
Fantasy Football
Play Now
Football Pick’em
See who to add and drop
PGA Tour and beyond
The spring months have officially given way to the summer months, and the summer months have officially given way to the fall. That can only mean one thing as the sports calendar turns: college basketball season is right around the corner.
As we always do each year at this time, the CBS Sports Experts have ranked the top teams and name our All-Americans. One of the last major things on the docket: ranking the players.
So that’s what we’ll be unleashing into the world with our annual ranking of the Top 100 And 1 players in college basketball. These rankings are not based on NBA potential. They are not ranked on who we think will score the most points or have the most assists or be the best players on the blue blood teams. The rankings are, after talking with coaches, grinding film and prepping all offseason, the finished product of who we think will simply be the best and most impactful in the 2022-23 season.
In a year expected to be dominated by upperclassmen — all five First Team All-Americans, for instance, are seniors — it should come as no surprise that our Top 100 And 1 was littered with upperclassmen. But the young guns in the freshmen and sophomore classes got their jabs in too, and while they weren’t represented near the top as much as year’s past — the first non-junior or -senior on our list comes at No. 11 — they certainly are ranked in areas that reflect our expectations that the young crop of college players will make a big impact this season.
Here’s the breakdown by class:
Behold, the CBS Sports Top 100 And 1 college basketball player rankings for 2022-23:
Timme is atop this list for the second straight year. The 6-10 forward averaged 18.4 points and 6.8 rebounds last season for a Gonzaga team that earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. His presence is the biggest reason the Zags are in the top two of the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll for the third consecutive year. — Gary Parrish
The most irrepressible force in the sport a season ago, Tshiebwe became the fifth Kentucky Wildcat to win national player of the year. He pulled it off in consensus fashion after becoming the first player in more than four decades to grab more than 15.0 rebounds per game. The averages: 17.4 points, 15.1 rebounds, 1.6 blocks on 60.6% shooting. He’s equal parts power source and safety net for Kentucky’s national title hopes this season, and is looking to put up the best back-to-back seasons by a Kentucky big since the days of two-time All-American Dan Issel. The new Big O said his goal last season was to average 20 rebounds; he fell well short of that. Can he possibly come close one year later? We’ll have to wait and see, as Tshiebwe recently underwent a “minor” procedure on his knee and it’s still unknown if he’ll be available when Kentucky’s season begins Nov. 7. — Matt Norlander
Bacot emerged last season as not just one of the most dominant bigs, but players, in college hoops. At the midpoint of the season his UNC team’s tourney hopes were teetering, but that’s when he came alive, averaging more than 16 points and 14 rebounds per game in leading the Tar Heels from the bubble to the title game. With him back in the fold, UNC is armed with a superstar big and a supporting cast around him capable of giving Carolina a real shot at a seventh national championship. — Kyle Boone
Sasser was in the process of taking his game to elite heights last season when a toe injury ended his season after 12 games. The 6-1 guard was averaging 17.7 points on 43.7% 3-point shooting, and he is expected to pick up where he left off as he was named AAC Preseason Player of the Year. While maintaining that level of perimeter proficiency on a high volume of attempts may be tough, Sasser is going to be a critical piece of a Houston team expected to be among the nation’s best. — David Cobb
Jackson-Davis getting slotted fifth means four of the top five players on our list are bigs who returned to college. The 6-10 forward averaged 18.3 points and 8.1 rebounds last season while leading the Hoosiers to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2016. He’s the main reason Indiana is projected by some to win a Big Ten title for the first time since Tom Crean guided the program to an outright league championship in 2016. — GP
It’s possible Dickinson’s value is slightly underrated, even two years into a matched-the-hype college career. Through two seasons he’s averaging 16.5 points and 8.0 rebounds with an impressive 9.4 win shares, according to Basketball Reference. Dickinson made our preseason Second Team All-America, but given how much Michigan will rely on him as a paint scorer, rebound-snarer and post distributor, he could wind up being a top-three player of value five months from now. One significant factor that doesn’t get as much conversation as it should: Dickinson is coached by Juwan Howard, who not only was a great player at Michigan, but also carved out a two-decade NBA career playing a similar role as Dickinson does now. — MN
One of six seniors to make the top seven on our list, Jaquez Jr. finds himself in a favorable position at UCLA after it lost its No. 1 and No. 3 leading scorers from last year’s 27-win team. He averaged 13.9 points per game for the Bruins last season and comes back in 2022-23 as the third-leading returning scorer in the Pac-12. The Bruins bring back Tyger Campbell and add five-star Amari Bailey to the mix, but Jaquez Jr. is in for a career year. — KB
With Trevion Williams gone, the Purdue frontcourt belongs to Edey, who averaged 14.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in just 19 minutes per game as a sophomore. The 7-foot-4 center should challenge for the Big Ten scoring, rebounding and blocks titles if he can avoid injury and foul trouble. The Boilermakers may also find themselves running their offense through the post more frequently now that Jaden Ivey is in the NBA. — DC
Davis is the best player who entered the transfer portal after last season. The 6-foot point guard averaged 19.4 points and 4.4 assists at SMU and earned AAC Player of the Year honors. His enrollment at Memphis should allow Penny Hardaway to coach in a second straight NCAA Tournament. — GP
Maybe we’re a little bullish on UNC’s 6-3 combo guard, but if Love puts his shot together and can capitalize off playing around arguably the best starting five in the country, he’s in store for a humongous junior season. He had 28 against Duke in the Final Four, 30 vs. UCLA in the Sweet 16 a week before that. He went for 21 or more points 11 other times last season, finishing with 15.9 points, 3.6 assists and 3.4 rebounds. His shot accuracy has to improve, and we think it will. Few players are as willing to hoist and hoist and hoist without a conscience like Love does. (See below, the shot that ended Coach K’s career.) His skillset intrigues pro scouts as well, as he’s visibly one of the more talented guards returning this season. — MN
CALEB LOVE OMG!!!! 😱@UNC_Basketball | #MFinalFour pic.twitter.com/8xdvnYbzQU
George is the highest-ranked freshman in our Top 100 And 1, but his placement at No. 11 on the list marks the first time in at least a decade that a freshman has not cracked the top 10 in our rankings. George very well could wind up worthy of that distinction by season’s end, though. A do-it-all scorer, he steps into a great situation at Baylor that needs backcourt scoring, aggressiveness and some swagger, and he checks every one of those boxes marching into what’s likely to be his first and only season in college. — KB
Miles is TCU’s first-ever selection for Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year after leading the Horned Frogs to their first NCAA Tournament victory since 1987. The 6-1 guard averaged 15.4 points and 3.8 assists as a sophomore and will be one of the league’s faces. With all five starters back, TCU’s preseason ranking of No. 14 is its best ever, and Miles is a big reason for it. — DC
Smith is the highest-rated non-Duke player entering college this year according to 247Sports. The 6-4 combo guard is the star of Eric Musselman’s recruiting class that ranks second nationally, according to 247Sports. He should be impactful on both sides of the ball before becoming a likely lottery pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. — GP
A standout player on the Nike EYBL circuit in 2021, Lively could be the best two-way freshman in the country, provided he can prove his shot will translate from high school to high-level Division I. He was the No. 2 player in his class, a ranking validated by his preternatural ability to not just block shots but understand how to weak-side help around the rim. (His wingspan is reportedly 7-7 😳.) Lively can also shoot from the midrange and the perimeter. He is an ideal 2022 stretch-center prospect. In his first season as a head coach, Jon Scheyer must be thrilled he gets a player as dynamic as Lively to work with. — MN
Sanogo is the highest-ranked Big East player on our list and a virtual lock to contend for Big East Player of the Year honors after leading the league in rebounding a season ago. The junior big man enters his third season with the Huskies and returns as the second-leading returning scorer and leading returning rebounder in the league after averaging 14.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game a season ago. — KB
Flagler averaged 13.8 points and 3.0 assists per game while transitioning from the role of bench spark to starter for Baylor last season. The 6-3 guard hit 38.7% of his 3-pointers on 6.3 attempts per game while proving to be a threat on or off the ball. There is room for Flagler, who made the Preseason All-Big 12 Team, to increase his production yet again. — DC
Wilson is the leading returning scorer from the Kansas team that won the 2022 NCAA Tournament. The 6-8 forward averaged 11.1 points and a team-high 7.4 rebounds last season in 29.4 minutes per game. He probably needs to emerge as the Jayhawks’ best player if Bill Self is going to make a serious run at becoming just the third men’s coach to win at least three national championships at the Division I level. — GP
One of the biggest stories of the offseason was Wong’s near departure from the Hurricanes after the Nijel Pack NIL deal was proudly publicly disclosed. Fortunately for Miami, Wong thought better of leaving a team where he’ll be the focal point and could turn in a season that makes him an NBA pick. There are few players with better on- and off-ball speed than Wong (15.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg), who is a tempting dark horse for ACC player of the year. Despite this being his fourth season, the Canes list him as a junior. — MN
Texas has a host of young stars who can be difference-makers on a Big 12 contender acquired via the transfer portal and via the typical recruiting mechanism, but we like returning leading scorer Timmy Allen most of the bunch as coach Chris Beard enters his second season in Austin. Allen led Texas with 12.1 points and 6.4 boards per game last season in his first with UT after transferring in from Utah. His size, scoring ability and total production on what should be a really good Texas team could make him a darkhorse to contend for conference player of the year. — KB
Castleton is one of the SEC’s leading returners in several categories after averaging 16.2 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks last season. The 6-11 center will be adjusting to a new coach in Todd Golden during his final season of college basketball but should remain one of the SEC’s top players. If he can add outside shooting to his arsenal after going 0-for-9 from deep in 2021-22, Castleon can become a matchup nightmare. — DC
Can Murray make the kind of statistical jump this season that his brother, Keegan Murray, made from the 2020-21 season to the 2021-22 season? That obviously remains undetermined. But what he’s able to do in his third year of college will largely determine whether Iowa plays in a fourth straight NCAA Tournament or not. — GP
Campbell‘s going to be in the mix for All-America consideration in the postseason. Few point guards this season have his experience (started all 96 games, guided his team to a Final Four, 9-4 postseason record) combined with natural point guard ability. He also rarely makes a dumb decision. His veteran leadership is going to pair delightfully with Jaquez, giving UCLA an inside edge on being the Pac-12’s best team. Campbell averaged 11.9 points and 4.3 assists while shooting 41% from beyond the arc — a 16-point increase on 3-point accuracy vs. his performance the year before. — MN
Smith had a stellar freshman year that flew under the radar, had an excellent pre-draft process that flew under the radar, and now enters his sophomore season still flying under some people’s radars. Just not ours! His athleticism combined with the ability to score it inside and out was a huge key to NC State’s success last season. His return gives Kevin Keatts and company one of the most electric talents in the ACC and beyond. — KB
Kalkbrenner enjoyed a breakout sophomore season by averaging 13.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.6 blocks for a Creighton team that won 23 games. The 7-1 center averaged 16.9 points and 9.1 rebounds over the season’s final 12 games and won Big East Defensive Player of the Year. Kalkbrenner should challenge UConn’s Adama Sanogo for the title of Big East’s best center. — DC
Whitehead is the second-best recruit in the Class of 2022, according to 247Sports. The 6-6 wing suffered a fracture in his right foot in late August and appears unlikely to be ready for Duke’s opener against Jacksonville. But when he eventually enters the Blue Devils’ lineup, Whitehead will be the latest in a long line of probable one-and-done prospects to play home games inside Cameron Indoor Stadium. — GP
The Wildcats lost Benn Mathurin, Christian Koloko and Dalen Terry to the NBA. That’s a lot of size, scoring, defense and playmaking to replace. It probably means Arizona won’t be as good as last season’s No. 1-seeded squad. But it should mean Tubelis, a 6-11 Lithuanian, will be yet another example of a college hoops team relying on its best big to be its best player. Tubelis (13.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg) has an underrated skillset that should be a featured package for the Wildcats. — MN
Shannon transferred to Illinois this offseason after three productive years at Texas Tech where he steadily improved his 3-point shot and his overall playmaking under both Chris Beard and Mark Adams. Now under Brad Underwood, he enters a situation with the Illini where he may be asked to be an even bigger presence as a playmaker and scorer after they lost their entire starting backcourt in the offseason. — KB
McCullar brings three seasons of experience, including 43 Big 12 games, to the defending national champions. The 6-6 wing averaged 10.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.4 steals for Texas Tech last season. He’s a rugged defender capable of playing on or off the ball and could catch the attention of NBA scouts if he can improve upon last season’s 31.1% 3-point shooting mark. — DC
Abmas didn’t get as much attention last season as he did the previous season — when Oral Roberts upset Ohio State and Florida in the 2021 NCAA Tournament — because the Golden Eagles didn’t win any notable non-league games or participate in the Big Dance. He was a little off the radar. But the 6-0 guard still averaged 22.8 points and 3.7 assists per game while finishing in the top five nationally in scoring for the second consecutive year. — GP
The next anticipated great one-and-done Wildcat. Wallace stands 6-4, is a combo guard-type and is going to be as valuable for his defensive aptitude as he will be for his off-the-catch shooting capability. There are still questions lingering here re: if he’ll be an outright star, but if Kentucky’s going to compete for a top seed, Wallace (who is from Texas) will need to live up to his reputation. He rated as the No. 5 prospect in his class according to 247Sports. — MN
Caleb Love and Armando Bacot got the accolades for UNC in its late-season surge, but RJ Davis was quietly the engine that helped power it to its title game appearance last season. The now-junior point guard averaged 13.5 points and team-highs in both assists (3.6) and steals (1.0) as a sophomore and returns in 2022-23 as one of the most talented lead guards of one of the most talented teams in the sport. — KB
Bradley led San Diego State in scoring at 16.9 points per game and upped that mark to 19.7 points in league games during his first season with the program following three seasons at Cal. The physical 6-4 guard is a career 40.2% 3-point shooter and one of the reasons the Aztecs are expected to compete for the Mountain West title. He shot a sterling 48.3% from beyond the arc in league games last season. — DC
Ingram was a five-star prospect in the Class of 2021 who averaged 10.5 points and 6.7 rebounds in 32 games as a freshman. The 6-7 forward only shot 31.3% from 3-point range, which is an obvious area of concern considering more than a third of his field goal attempts came from beyond the arc. If he can improve that outside jumper, Ingram could lead Stanford to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014. – GP
They call him “Jelly,” and that’s why we love college hoops, folks. This firecracker combo guard for UAB is going to be must-see for one of the best mid-major teams in ’22-23. Walker accounted for 30 points per game for the Blazers last season (20.3 ppg, 4.9 apg) and played without abandon. We’re expecting more of the same for the former Seton Hall and Tulane sizzler who came into his own under Andy Kennedy. — MN
Richardson had a career year last season as a senior averaging a team-high 14.1 points and 3.6 assists per game for Oregon before opting to take advantage of his COVID year as a super senior. He returns to a team that failed to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018 but nonetheless has high expectations as he comes back to team up next to five-star incoming freshman Kel’el Ware. — KB
Pack made headlines over the offseason when the financial terms of his name, image and likeness deal were made public after he emerged as one of the nation’s top 3-point shooters last season while hitting 43.6% of his 7.5 attempts per game for Kansas State. If the 6-0 guard can replicate those numbers in the ACC as a junior, the investment made by Miami’s NIL support system will have been worth it. — DC
.@NijelPack24 BEHIND-THE-BACK 3 😱😱

Don’t see this often

(via @CanesHoops)pic.twitter.com/nNwQDiBcBn
Gardner is the leading returning scorer for a Virginia team that’s ranked fifth at KenPom.com heading into this season. The 6-6 forward averaged 15.3 points and 6.4 rebounds in 32.7 minutes per game. He could emerge as an ACC Player of the Year candidate if the Cavaliers push North Carolina and Duke at the top of the ACC. — GP
I love a tall guy running an offense, and that’s exactly what the 6-7 Maldonado does for Jeff Linder’s Cowboys. Graham Ike (keep reading, you’ll see his name) won the preseason POY in the Mountain West, but Maldonado is the better all-around college talent. No other D-I player last season averaged at least 18 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds, as Maldonado did for an NCAA Tournament team. He’s grown into the most likely multiple triple-double guy in college hoops. — MN
Hunter was one of the most dynamic defensive guards in the country last season as a freshman at Iowa State, where he was third in the conference in both assists and steals per game. Now at Texas, the reigning Big 12 Rookie of the Year joins a veteran-heavy roster where he’ll be relied on as both a setup man at point guard and the lead dog at the point of attack defensively. — KB
Cryer played just 19 games last season while battling injury, but he shot 46.8% from 3-point range on 5.8 attempts per game and averaged 13.5 points. As a reserve on the 2021 national title team, Cryer saw what it takes to win a title. Now, he is a veteran who should be one of the Big 12’s top guards if he can put a healthy season together. — DC
Miller is the highest-rated prospect in Alabama’s heralded recruiting class that is ranked third nationally, according to 247Sports. The 6-9 forward was the Tennessee Player of the Year after averaging 24.1 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists for Cane Ridge High. He’s a Day One starter who should play a big role in the Crimson Tide making the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive year. — GP
The only thing one could say Jay Wright didn’t accomplish over 21 years at VU was something he didn’t seek in the first place: he never had a one-and-done NBA pick. Wright leaves, and such a player is now on campus. Whitmore projects as a lottery pick entering the season due to his tantalizing natural gifts combined with a fearlessness in the package of a power wing. He’ll miss the start of the season because of a broken thumb, but he’s the clear favorite for Big East freshman of the year. — MN
The highest-rated signee in Dayton basketball history, Holmes as a freshman last season instantly proved his bonafides, leading the Flyers in scoring at 12.1 points per game while setting the school’s single-season block record with 81. A year older and wiser, Holmes enters his second season as the leading returning shot-blocker in the A-10 and the reigning returning leader in field goal percentage to boot. — KB
Black is a 6-7 guard and McDonald’s All-American who finished the 2022 recruiting cycle ranked No. 15 in the class by 247Sports. The Razorbacks are loaded with talent as evidenced by the fact that Black is only the second-highest ranked freshman on the roster behind Nick Smith. Nonetheless, his talent as a playmaker and defender should make him a key player for the Razorbacks. — DC
Roach is the only relevant player from Mike Krzyzewski’s last team who returned to Duke this season. The 6-2 point guard is the Blue Devils’ lone captain. He averaged 8.6 points and 3.2 assists last season and will need to be rock-solid in his third year in the program to ensure Jon Scheyer’s head-coaching career gets off to a positive start. — GP
With Justin Moore still months away from seeing the floor for Nova, who’s going to be the leader? Daniels should be that guy. There might not be three shooting guards who are pound-for-pound stronger than Villanova’s veteran 2 man. He’s also got a vintage post-up game that is emblematic for VU and near-automatic whenever he catches a mismatch on the block. No Wildcat will be tasked with more this season than Daniels, which is why he slips into our top 50. — MN
Williams very well might be the oldest player in college basketball – he turned 26 years old in October – but that experience is on his side in this top-50 ranking. He’s a proven commodity. And for Memphis, he’s a very valuable one. He averaged 11.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game last season, all second on the team despite playing the fifth-most minutes. His role is likely to expand playing next to a true star at point guard this season with the addition of SMU transfer Kendric Davis. — KB
Hall played through a foot injury for much of last season and needed offseason knee injury, but he can be one of the ACC’s toughest matchups if healthy. The 6-10 forward averaged 15.5 points and 5.8 rebounds during a breakout junior season. If Hall can refine his 3-point shot after making 30.8% of them last season, he can take another step. — DC
Alexander averaged 13.8 points and 5.5 assists last season while being named a finalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award. The 2021 Big East Freshman of the Year led St. John’s in assists per game and steals per game. Those facts highlight just how important Alexander is to what the Red Storm do on both sides of the ball. — GP
After a year away because of an ACL injury, Perkins should be the lodestar for a Billikens team competing against Dayton and VCU for top billing in the Atlantic 10. The athletic wing was the preseason A-10 POY pick a year ago, coming off a 17.1 ppg campaign in ’20-21. Expect big things. An aside: Perkins’ poised point guard teammate, Yuri Collins, who led the nation in assists last season, was a narrow miss in cracking our Top 100 And 1. — MN
Creighton brings back three of its top five scorers from a team that last season won 23 games despite being the second-least experienced in the Big East. Kaluma is one of the young bright spots that prompts intense reason for optimism. He averaged 10.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game as a true freshman and has the length and fabric to potentially make the turn into sophomore stardom. — KB
Mutts is the leading returning scorer for the reigning ACC Tournament champions after averaging 10.1 points and 7.4 rebounds for the Hokies last season. The 6-7 forward is regarded as an elite defender and may be asked to do more offensively this season following the departure of Keve Aluma. — DC
Bynum averaged 12.2 points and 4.0 assists in 27.6 minutes per game last season for a Providence team that won the Big East. The 5-10 guard was named Big East Player of the Week twice in February. — GP
We think Obanor’s final college season will be his best. The onus is really on him now that Fardaws Aimaq (who would’ve made our list had he not required foot surgery recently) won’t be on the floor for at least the first half of TTU’s season. Obanor (10.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg) is the only starter back for a Texas Tech squad that turns over the majority of its roster. Fewer than 14 points per night would be a surprise. — MN
Vescovi is the leading returning scorer for Tennessee and the leading returning 3-point maker (in terms of 3s made per game) in the SEC. The senior had a career year last season averaging 13.3 points and 3.2 assists per game and should see an even bigger uptick in production with Kennedy Chandler off to the NBA. — KB
Strawther grew from a little-used reserve into a key player during his sophomore season with Gonzaga, averaging 11.8 points and 5.4 rebounds on 49.8% shooting. As a 6-7 wing with a good outside shot, Strawther will have a chance to play himself into first-round NBA Draft consideration while helping the Zags pursue a national title. — DC
Bailey is the highest-rated prospect in UCLA’s recruiting class that ranks 12th nationally, according to 247Sports. The 6-5 guard averaged 18.5 points and 5.6 rebounds during his senior season at Sierra Canyon High in California. — GP
Shead is an outrageous defender, courageous on each possession with his iron-nose approach that signifies what Kelvin Sampson looks for in a Houston player. He’s the lead guard for Houston (10.0 points, 5.8 assists) who stepped up big-time last season after Sasser went down. If his 3-point shoot improves, he’ll be 15-20 spots too low on this list. — MN
.@Thejshead defense ➡️ Jamal Shead offense#ForTheCity x #GoCoogs pic.twitter.com/V0mZ0EQUBH
McGhee has a strong case for being the most underrated player in all of college basketball. He’s won back-to-back A-Sun Player of the Year honors at Liberty and is coming off a junior season in which he averaged 24.6 points per game. He enters 2022-23 as the leading returning scorer in the sport after Peter Kiss’ departure from Bryant. — KB
Scheierman won Summit League Player of the Year for averaging 16.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists while making 46.9% of his 3-point attempts for a South Dakota State team that finished 30-5 after reaching the NCAA Tournament. Now, the 6-6 guard will try his shooting stroke against Big East competition as one of the Big East’s top transfers for a Creighton team with high hopes. — DC
Broome averaged 16.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.9 blocks in 28.3 minutes per game last season at Morehead State. His transfer to Auburn should help Bruce Pearl’s program offset the loss of first-round NBA Draft pick Walker Kessler. — GP
Of course one of the most prolific scorers in college history is going to make our list in his final season. Through 111 games, Davis is at 24.6 points, 13th-highest average in men’s D-I history. He’s scored 2,734 points, which sits 22nd all time — but he’ll quickly hop up that list as the season moves along. If Davis is going to make history in his bonus season (which all players can get because of COVID), he’ll need to average a career-best 27.5 points and play 34 games in order to surpass Pete Maravich’s record of 3,667. Maravich did it in three seasons and without a 3-point line. — MN
A two-way menace for Oklahoma State, a program that last season served a postseason ban, Anderson steps back into the spotlight as the second-leading Big 12 player in assists and a candidate to be an All-Big 12 First Teamer with the way the Cowboys are expected to use him both on and off the ball. — KB
After winning NIT MVP honors to cap his sophomore season, Jones returns to play a key role for the Musketeers as coach Sean Miller begins his second stint at Xavier. A 6-6 guard, Jones averaged 11.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals last season. He should only build on those numbers in his third season with the program. — DC
Omoruyi is the leading returning scorer for a Rutgers team that played in its second straight NCAA Tournament last season. The 6-11 center averaged 11.9 points and 7.8 rebounds in 28.7 minutes per game. — GP
Todd Golden’s new-look Gators should have a deep cast of strong contributors that competes for an NCAA bid. Castleton sets up as the clear No. 1. The most likely No. 2 should be the 6-3 Lofton, who was one of the most coveted point guards in the transfer portal last spring and arrives via St. Bonaventure, where he averaged 13 points and 6 assists in 38.5 minutes. — MN
Wheeler led the SEC in assists per game and was first among all power conference players in total assists last season in his first with Kentucky after transferring in from Georgia. The Wildcats should have more playmakers this season after adding five-star Cason Wallace and transfer Antonio Reeves, but Wheeler’s role as the lead guard on a top-five preseason UK team is safe. — KB
Mosley was a rare “50-40-90” player in college basketball last season as he made 54.2% of his 2-pointers, 42.7% of his 3-pointers and 90.2% of his free throws for Missouri State while leading the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring at 20.4 points per game. The 6-5 wing transferred but stayed in state and will be a critical piece of coach Dennis Gates’ first squad at Missouri. — DC
Filipowski is the fourth-best prospect in the Class of 2022, according to 247Sports. The 6-11 center will likely start beside Lively and give Duke what amounts to a twin-towers situation in its frontcourt. — GP
Leaving Iowa did wonders for Nunge’s game. He jumped from 16 minutes per game to nearly 27. His points went from 7.1 to 13.4. His value will be even greater this season for a Xavier team that was picked to finish second in the Big East, thanks in no small part to the hiring of Sean Miller. Nunge plays hard, smart and knows how to be physical without wind up in foul trouble. — MN
The No. 1 recruit in the 2023 class before reclassifying and flipping his commitment from North Carolina to South Carolina, Jackson is expected to be the alpha on a South Carolina team that’s rebuilding and starting anew under first-year coach Lamont Paris. He’ll be a candidate to lead the SEC in rebounds and should be in the mix to put up a double-double on a nightly basis for the Gamecocks. — KB
Baldwin made tremendous strides during his sophomore season, dishing out 5.5 assists per game and averaging 11.4 points on 41.3% 3-point shooting. The 6-foot guard landed on the preseason first-team All-Atlantic 10 list and is the leading returning scorer for a VCU team expected to remain among the A-10’s top teams. — DC
Ware is the 10th-best prospect in the Class of 2022, according to 247Sports. The 7-foot center led North Little Rock High in Arkansas to back-to-back state championships during his junior and senior years. — GP
The toppiest ‘Topper of them all. The tallest player in college hoops stands 7-foot-5 and makes Shaq look a little short. Sharp averaged 4.6 blocks a season ago and led the nation. He seems likely to do it again, which would make him the first D-I men’s player to lead the country in send-backs two years in a row since Jarvis Varnado of Mississippi State did it in 2008 and ’09. What’s more, Sharp’s 73.2 effective field goal percentage was also the best in the sport. — MN
Florida State’s atop the list of teams that missed the NCAA Tournament last season but should be a virtual lock to go dancing once again in 2023. The Seminoles are expecting Cleveland, who finished second on the team averaging 11.5 points per game as a freshman, to make a big leap in his second season. — KB
Williams led the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring last season while wrapping up a four-year run at Murray State. Now, after 124 career appearances for the Racers, the 6-10 power forward with a good outside shot is following coach Matt McMahon to LSU for a chance to test himself against better competition. — DC
Mayer played four seasons at Baylor and was an important piece who helped the Bears win two Big 12 titles and the 2021 national championship. The 6-9 forward’s transfer to Illinois is among the reasons some have picked the Illini to win the Big Ten this season. — GP
Too low for my tastes — expect this guy to be a man on a mission this season — but that’s why we all get a vote. The Longhorns’ lead guard averaged 11.4 points and 3.4 assists in ’21-22 and was not as good/impactful as many projected. (Us included.) That said, my expectation is he’ll flourish in his second year under Chris Beard, propelling Texas to a No. 2 or No. 3 seed in the process. — MN
As a five-star prospect in the 247Sports Composite, Hood-Schifino enters college basketball ranked as the Big Ten’s top freshman. The 6-5 combo guard has a chance to be one of the best backcourt playmakers of the past several years at Indiana and could be a one-and-done NBA prospect. — DC
Wahl averaged 11.4 points and 5.9 rebounds in 34.5 minutes per game last season and is Wisconsin’s leading returning scorer. The 6-9 forward started 32 games as a junior and shot 51.6% from the field. — GP
The Zags’ offense is a dominant machine with many mechanisms, one of them being Bolton’s reliable deep jumper. He shot 46.0% on 139 shots from 3-point territory last season, ranking 18th nationally. The very, very good teams — championship-caliber — teams have more than just a huge star or two. They’ve got guys fourth or fifth on the depth chart capable of stepping up and making the backbreaking play. Bolton (11.2 ppg) is just that. — MN
Injuries to Creighton’s backcourt forced Alexander into major action down the stretch last season, and Alexander responded by flashing NBA potential as a two-way guard who can create and score. The back-to-full-strength Bluejays should suit Alexander’s strengths even more as he operates as a long and rangy guard who can provide energy, shooting and defense on a deep roster. — KB
Nembhard won Big East Freshman of the Year after averaging 11.3 points and 4.4 assists for a BlueJays squad that reached the NCAA Tournament’s second round. The 6-foot Canadian ranked third in the league in assists per game last season and should stand out as one of the nation’s best true point guards. — DC
Hepburn averaged 7.9 points and 2.3 assists in 30.9 minutes per game last season. The 6-2 guard was the first true freshman to start a season-opener for Wisconsin since Devin Harris in 2001. — GP
Quinerly inclusion on the Top 100 And 1 is a show of respect for his past production and a vote of confidence for what he can do with Alabama in the second half of the season. He tore his ACL in mid-March and isn’t likely to be ready to start the season, but after ranking eighth in the SEC in assists per game and 12th in scoring a season ago, he could be a mid-season boon to Alabama’s chances of making a deep March push if he can return to full health. — KB
Like Quinerly, Stevens would be higher on the list if not for offseason foot surgery that’s going to mandate he misses at least the first half of the season. Because the Rams’ PG is going to miss so much time, we debated whether or not to even add him to the list. (Villanova’s Justin Moore, recovering from an Achilles, isn’t on our list for this very reason.) But the hope is that Stevens (14.7 ppg, 4.7 apg, 3.2 rpg) can come back and be effective by mid-January. If that happens, the Rams, coming off a program-best No. 6 seed, will have a shot at back-to-back NCAA Tournaments. — MN
OU’s guard talent was lacking last season – it ranked dead last in the Big 12 in turnover percentage – so Porter Moser addressed that deficiency in a big way with the addition of Sherfield. He led the MWC last season in assists with 6.4 per game and was fifth in scoring at 19.1 points per game. — KB
After earning first-team All-Southern Conference honors last season, Stephens is following coach Dan Earl from VMI to Chattanooga. The intra-conference transfer is a true stretch big man with a career 37.9% 3-point shooting mark and a shot to be the SoCon Player of the Year. — DC
Mills averaged a team-best 12.7 points last season for a Florida State program that largely struggled but is expected to return to the NCAA Tournament this season. The 6-5 guard started his college career at Houston, where he was named the preseason Player of the Year before his sophomore season that ultimately only lasted four games before he transferred to FSU. — GP
He’s a 6-8 menace of a power forward who ranks as the best recruit of the past 30-plus years to play for the Cougars. Walker will be an immediate factor and is the addition to this season’s roster that solidified the Cougars as a preseason top-five. As good as he should be, keep an eye on another freshman, guard Terrance Arceneaux, who I think could be just as important for the Coogs come March. — MN
Though his height is slight, his game is mighty. Ziegler is perhaps best-positioned among all returning Tennessee players to see an increased role in 2022-23 after Kennedy Chandler’s departure. The point guard averaged 8.8 points and 2.7 assists per game last season and was a menace on defense, earning all-conference honors on the defensive team in his first season. — KB
Ike is the Mountain West’s Preseason Player of the Year after averaging 19.5 points and 9.6 rebounds last season. The 6-9 big man helped will Wyoming to a spot in the NCAA Tournament’s First Four, where he put up 17 points and nine rebounds in a loss to Indiana. — DC
Omier averaged 17.9 points and 12.2 rebounds at Arkansas State last season. He’s one of multiple highly productive players who transferred to Miami and is expected to help the Hurricanes make the 2023 NCAA Tournament. — GP
Kriisa (9.7 ppg, 4.7 apg) won out slightly over another Arizona player who’s a better shooter and will probably score more for Tommy Lloyd’s team, junior SG Pelle Larson. That said, this elite trash-talking, headband-donning Estonian and his fearless play at the point is what will give Arizona the boldness it will need in order to try and fend off UCLA and Oregon to win another Pac-12 title. — MN
Six 3-pointers for Kerr Kriisa in Arizona’s Pac-12 opener, showcasing his deep range. Elite pick and roll passer who is also one of the toughest, most fiery guards in college basketball. pic.twitter.com/tZ1EUtZ4Ry
All due respect to Northwestern transfer Pete Nance, who nearly made this list, but Black is not only a staple of Eye on College Basketball, he’s one of the best defenders in the sport. Defense can’t be undervalued; it’s what gets Black on the list. At 6-9 with a wicked wingspan, his impact will be overlooked no more. If UNC is going to make another Final Four push, Black’s super-glue-guy attributes (120.5 ORtg, 4.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.7 apg) should upgrade him to being a tangible difference-maker on a near-nightly basis — MN
Mark was poised for a key role last season before a shoulder injury ended his campaign after just seven games. The 6-5 guard should make up for last time this season as he plays sidekick to AAC preseason player of the year Marcus Sasser in the backcourt. — DC
Cook transferred from LSU, where he wasn’t even a rotation player, to Tulane, and he immediately made his presence felt last season, averaging 18.0 points and 3.5 assists per game. The Green Wave are set not just to break .500 for the first time since 2012-13 but could be a darkhorse to break through into the NCAA Tournament in a wide-open AAC behind Houston. — KB
Howard was the MVP of April’s Iverson Classic that also featured multiple projected one-and-done lottery picks. The 6-8 guard is uniquely skilled for a player his size and should be among the best players on his father’s fourth team at Michigan. — GP
Annual reminder that our final four spots are reserved for each of us to include a non-rejectable submission. The highest-ranked player on my individual ballot who didn’t crack through for our aggregate 1-97 was Beekman, so here he goes. The 6-3 combo guard (8.2 points, 5.2 assists, 3.9 rebounds, 2.1 steals) is pacing toward being the most pivotal player — and is the best defender — on a Wahoos team that could compete for a top-four seed in the NCAAs. — MN
We each get to handpick our final selection every year, and Burton was the no-brainer for me here at No. 100. He ranked No. 32 on my original Top 100 And 1 ballot, so therefore I feel I must apologize with my submission for my colleagues sleeping on the Spiders star. He was an All-Atlantic 10 performer a season ago and should be an even bigger producer after the team lost its second, third, fourth and fifth-leading scorers in the offseason. — KB
Starling is flying under the radar but should be one of the nation’s most-productive freshmen after ranking No. 22 in the Class of 2022. A 6-4 combo guard, Starling can step into the role played by last season’s freshman phenom, Blake Wesley, who was a first-round NBA Draft pick after leading the Fighting Irish in scoring.— DC
© 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. All Rights Reserved.
CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc.
Images by Getty Images and US Presswire

source